Start by clearing out your garden space. If this is your first experience gardening, it may be beneficial to start small.
Research your USDA growing zone and take note of frost dates to make sure only flowers that will thrive in your yard are planted.
Consider your space’s sunlight availability before selecting plants for planting. Most flowering varieties require full sunlight for optimal blooming, but if limited sunlight is available to you, opt for plants which thrive under partial or minor shade conditions.
Choose Your Soil
Your flower garden’s success hinges on both its location and soil preparation. Most blooms require healthy, loamy soil with ample nutrients in order to thrive in bloom.
Beginning by taking note of your surroundings and the amount of sunlight received throughout the day. This will determine which plants can thrive best in that space.
After clearing away any grass or weeds, add plenty of organic material and compost to ensure a fertile environment for your flowers. If it will be an island bed garden, plant taller plants in the center before gradually moving them towards shorter flowers on its outer borders to allow you to see each one at its full size when mature without blocking windows or doors when matured. When choosing between flower options keep in mind how taller flowers require more space overall when making your selections.
Know Your Plants
Your flower garden’s success depends on several key components. First, ensure you have high-quality soil that drains well. Add organic material such as compost before planting your seeds for maximum success.
Pay special attention to sun requirements when selecting plants for your design, too. Hydrangeas prefer morning sun with afternoon shade while sunflowers thrive under direct sun all day long. Also keep foliage in mind for four-season interest and color. Don’t neglect it as part of your design plan!
Read and follow all instructions found on packets of seeds before selecting flowers for your garden. This will ensure you select plants suitable to their environment, while making sure that they thrive without becoming leggy over time. Also try to avoid purchasing plants which have already become established as this could make establishment difficult.
Plan Your Layout
When creating a flower garden, it is advisable to first sketch out and create a garden map in order to ensure there is enough space for everything you intend to plant. This helps visualize your bed layout as well as determine what types and quantities of each species of plant are necessary.
Experienced flower garden designers know that to create an enjoyable garden in any season, incorporating plants with different bloom times and year-round interest is crucial. For instance, summer perennial flowers may need to be balanced out by adding annuals that bloom, seed and die within one growing season.
When selecting colors, use the color wheel as your guide. Colors that appear adjacent on the wheel, like pink and yellow, look particularly pleasing together. Foliage adds visual interest even when flowers have faded; this feature can help make an impactful statement even in small spaces where impactful statements must be made quickly.
Select Your Flowers
Beyond soil preparation and site selection, one of the key factors for successful flower gardens is selecting appropriate flowers. An annual is an excellent place to begin; its bloom and seed set occur within one growing season – perfect for quickly adding color or filling gaps if your soil is poor or difficult to work with.
For maximum effect in your perennial garden, stagger bloom times so that some are always blooming – this will add visual interest as well as making it easier to cut back faded flowers and prep perennials for the coming winter season.
If you prefer more natural gardens, try creating paths around your beds to make walking around easier while protecting fragile flowers from being trodden on. Once this step has been accomplished, adding finishing touches should be easy!